KYYA CHOCOLATE, ELM SPRINGS, ARKANSAS

I was recently invited to attend an evening at the Kyya Chocolate Factory, and having seen their beautifully labelled bars in various locations around town, I was very excited to tour their facility and learn more about their product. As the evening unfolded, I became even more fascinated by the chocolate making process, the family who started the business and their enthusiasm and passion for what they are doing. http://www.kyyachocolate.com

– the great team behind Kyya chocolate

Although nestled in a small space left behind by a defunct Mexican restaurant, the Kyya chocolate factory is producing tremendous amounts of chocolate, about 250 bars each night.

– a tray of Kyya chocolate, ready to be packaged

The entire process of making a Kyya chocolate bar, which incorporates a few simple ingredients – cacao beans, sugar, vanilla and sea salt, takes about 72 hours, and is all done at this one location, from roasting and grinding the cacao beans, to the final packaging, which is completed by hand.

– cacao beans from Madagascar

– making a chocolate mold

Kyya, which is a play on a Greek word meaning pure, was established just 3 years ago, following an inspirational trip to Uganda. Their goal and vision is to make really great chocolate, and have a really great time doing it, but also to work directly with cacao farmers around the world, making a difference in their lives, and the communities in which they live – determining what is needed, and taking steps to make it happen, whether building a bridge or orphanage or ensuring there is accessible running water.

– truffle experiment

The Kyya chocolate factory is open to the public every day from 2:30pm to 6:30pm – stop in to see these wonderful people and try some amazing chocolate!